What Do 33 Miners And Your Shoes Have In Common?

Millions around the world held their breath last week as all 33 Chilean miners were slowly and safely brought to the surface. It was an uplifting, exciting story and journalists will be writing about these men and their survival for years.

Many details about their underground ordeal were really remarkable, but one item caught my attention and made me smile. When the men were preparing to leave the mine, they asked for shoe polish. I bet their loved ones didn’t care whether their shoes were polished, but the miners wanted to look their best when reunited with their families.

Chileans take great pride in their personal appearance. Shoes are one of the little things that help make up your image. (They are one of the 601 little things discussed in my book When The Little Things Count…And They Always Count.)

Your shoe choice at work can also be significant. Others form an impression of you based upon what they see. A recruiter told me that he always notices the condition of a candidate’s shoes. It tells him whether the person is paying attention to the details. Another manager wouldn’t hire someone because the man wore sneakers to the interview. He believed that the candidate didn’t understand the importance of the position.

Make sure your shoes are in good condition, polished, good quality and appropriate for your outfit.

Clearly first impressions mattered to the miners. They should matter to all of us!